S.C. Code Ann. § 44-113-30 – Health care provider not to refer patient to entity in which it has investment interest; exceptions; violations; penalties

(A) Except as provided in this section and other provisions of this chapter, a health care provider may not refer a patient for the provision of designated health services to an entity in which the health care provider is an investor or has an investment interest. However, this prohibition does not apply to:
1. (1) an investment interest where the health care professional directly provides the health care services within the entity or will be personally involved in the provision, supervision, or direction of care to the referred patient.
2. (2) the provider's investment interest is in registered securities purchased on a national exchange or over-the-counter market and issued by a publicly-held corporation:
  1. (a) whose shares are traded on a national exchange or on the over-the-counter market; and
  2. (b) whose total assets at the end of the corporation's most recent fiscal quarter exceeded fifty million dollars; or
3. (3) with respect to an entity other than a publicly-held corporation described in subsection (A)(2) and a referring provider's investment interest in the entity, each of the following requirements are met:
  1. (a) no more than fifty percent of the value of the investment interests are held by investors who are in a position to make referrals to the entity;
  2. (b) the terms under which an investment interest is offered to an investor who is in a position to make referrals to the entity are no different from the terms offered to investors who are not in a position to make referrals;
  3. (c) the terms under which an investment interest is offered to an investor who is in a position to make referrals to the entity are not related to the previous or expected volume of referrals from that investor to the entity;
  4. (d) there is no requirement that an investor make referrals or be in a position to make referrals to the entity as a condition for becoming or remaining an investor.
(B) With respect to an entity or to a publicly-held corporation in subsection (A)(2):
1. (1) the entity or corporation does not lend funds to or guarantee a loan for an investor who is in a position to make referrals to the entity or corporation if the investor uses any part of the loan to obtain the investment interest;
2. (2) the amount distributed to an investor representing a return on the investment interest is directly proportional to the amount of the capital investment, including the fair market value of preoperational services rendered in the entity or corporation by that investor.
(C) No claim for payment may be presented by an entity to an individual, third party payor, or other entity for a service furnished pursuant to a referral prohibited under this section.
(D) If an entity collects any amount that was billed in violation of this section, the entity shall refund the amount on a timely basis to the payor or individual, whichever is applicable.
(E) A health care provider who makes a referral prohibited by this section or who fails to disclose information required by Section 44-113-40(A) or presents or causes to be presented a bill or a claim for services that the health care provider knows or should know is for a service for which payment may not be made under subsection (C) or for which a refund has not been made under subsection (D) is subject to a civil penalty of not more than five thousand dollars for each such service to be imposed and collected by the appropriate board.
(F) A health care provider or other entity that enters into an arrangement or scheme which the health care provider or entity knows or should know has a principal purpose of assuring referrals by the health care provider to a particular entity which, if the health care provider directly made referrals to the entity would be in violation of this section, is subject to a civil penalty of not more than twenty-five thousand dollars for each circumvention arrangement or scheme to be imposed and collected by the appropriate board.
(G) A violation of this section by a health care provider constitutes grounds for disciplinary action to be taken by the applicable board. A hospital licensed under Title 44, Chapter 7 found in violation of this section is subject to the regulations promulgated by the department.
(H) A hospital licensed under Title 44, Chapter 7 that discriminates against or otherwise penalizes a health care provider for compliance with this chapter is subject to a civil penalty of not more than one hundred thousand dollars to be imposed and collected by the department.
(I) Each board, and in the case of hospitals, the department, shall encourage the use by licensees of an advisory opinion procedure to determine the applicability of this section or any regulation promulgated pursuant to this section as it applies solely to the licensee.